Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Mobile
  3. News

Google Maps tests feature that will help drivers avoid crashes, speed traps

Trevor Mogg
By

Google has recently been doubling down on efforts to add even more features to its Maps app, though the latest effort is currently in the test phase.

Directed at motorists using navigation, the feature lets you report crashes and speed traps and then uses the crowdsourced data to create more efficient routes for other drivers or warn them of approaching hazards.

Recommended Videos

It was spotted by Android Police in an APK teardown a few months back, and now it’s started to appear for a select number of users who’re using Google Maps on Android.

Related

If you’re one of them, you’ll see a new report button with a “+” sign inside a speech bubble at the bottom left of the Maps display. Tap on it and you can add details of a crash or speed trap, with the data helping Maps to better calculate routes or send alerts to users when they’re approaching a hazard.

A similar feature is already available in Waze, the navigation app that Google acquired in 2013. With that in mind, it’s something of a surprise that the crash and speed trap buttons have taken this long to show up in Google Maps, even if it’s only as a test at this stage.

Should the trial prove useful for Google Maps’ functionality and popular with users, we can expect to see the feature rolled out to everyone before too long. However, as with all tests, there’s no guarantee that crash and speed trap reporting will show up in a future update.

Updates, updates, updates

Google seems to have been busier than ever recently, adding a slew of new features to Maps.

In the last month alone, it’s added a “follow” button to the Android version so you can keep track of your favorite businesses and be the first to find out about things like special offers and upcoming events. Real-time journey tracking for iPhone (Android already has it) has also been added, along with improved navigation for less stressful commutes, group polling to help you and your buddies decide where to eat, and locations for EV charging stations.

Want to find out how to get the most out of Google Maps? Then check out this informative guide that includes everything you need to know.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Trevor Mogg
Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
New Google Maps features offer a preview of doom-conscious tech
google maps fire

If this last year felt a little more apocalypse-y than others past, it’s not without good reason. And as with every industry, tech is starting to take notice. As such, many of the new Google Maps features announced this week preview a tone shift within the industry. As technology plateaus, rather than shallow convenience, the focus appears to be transitioning to quality-of-life improvements, and hopefully, sustainability.

One element of our day-to-day lives that has undergone a begrudging transformation is grocery shopping. Once a universally beloved pastime (sarcasm), picking up the necessities in-person has been made even less convenient, and in some areas entirely inadvisable. For this reason, many of us have grown accustomed to picking up online orders or scheduling them to be delivered, and Google Maps hopes to further alleviate the new challenges this presents in a couple of ways.

Read more
Apple Maps vs. Google Maps: Which one is best for you?

Navigation tools like Google Maps and Apple Maps have changed the way we find places, explore local businesses, and share directions with friends. Both have a similar purpose, but you will find that there are some differences in their navigation tools and interfaces.

If you rely on an Android device, Google Maps is the only option of the two. However, if you own an iPhone, learning more about the differences between Google Maps and Apple Maps will help you choose the best navigation app for your needs.
Maps vs. Maps historical contest
Launched in 2005, Google Maps has been the premier mobile mapping service since the dawn of the smartphone. Apple Maps for the iPhone and iPad, on the other hand, didn't arrive until 2012 and for years it struggled with technical issues. These included wrong directions, lack of support for public transportation, and many glitches and bugs that made the service nearly unusable. All the while, Google Maps continued to improve and reign supreme.

Read more
Google just added 6 great features to Android, from security to accessibility
Someone holding a Google Pixel 5. The screen is on and shows the Home Screen with an app folder open.

Google is bringing a range of extra features to Android, and you don't have to wait for Android 12 to get them. The company announced a series of features across the Android system, with six main updates, so there's a little something here for everyone.

The new features are starting to become available now, however, they're coming out as part of separate app updates or Android updates, so you might get some before others.

Read more